Te Ngaio Tu
Central Region
This section includes events, news and contact information for NZEI's Central Region. The contact us section has more comprehensive list of Field Officers and Takawaenga for the Central Region.
Recent Events:
Central Region PlanningCentral Region District Council/Branch Planning31 October/1 November 2008 at the Travelodge Hotel, Cuba Street, Palmerston North Members from the Central Region got down to some serious planning for 2009, during a very successful two day meeting in Palmerston North. Attendance was terrific according to organisers - 115 members from the four District Councils and 42 Branches took part in the planning session and will be feeding back to the wider membership on the discussions. The planning meeting followed close on the heels of Annual Meeting so members could discuss the priorities for next year in greater detail, plan around them, and set their budgets. In the key presentation, National Secretary Paul Goulter outlined the 2009 priorities and expanded on the “Building the Union” and “Whole of Union” themes which include campaigns, membership density, union strength and leveraging. WorkshopsMembers rotated through a variety of workshops which were structured around the Organisational Review and the proposed three campaigns for 2009 – Support Staff, Primary and Early Childhood. The workshops are available for field staff to work through with membership groups next year.  Fun TimeIt wasn’t all work and no play though. Members relaxed over a conference dinner which included a night of singing and dancing. Most dressed up. Most dressed up to celebrate “Education Through the Ages” to honour World Teachers’ Day. Te Haunui District Council executive members scrubbed up well... Meeting Follow-UpSince the planning meeting, all four District Councils have met and approved the work plans for 2009 and the budgets built around them. All branches/ATs and Komiti Pasifika are scheduled to do the same.Although the focus for Term One across the region will be consultation on the Organisational Review, all plans need to be “transportable” because no one can be quite sure how quickly the new government may move on issues such as National Standards. The level of other activity, for example around the Support Staff Collective Agreement negotiations, will be on a “wait and see” basis, and will be discussed nationally. There are the usual ‘nuts and bolts’ matters for 2009 that DCs and branches are expected to carry out such as sponsoring representation to various seminars, auditing accounts, ensuring that MSP nominations and other national nominations are completed, as well as representing their members at the local level. Small groups of activists will also be meeting with field staff to do the detailed planning for the consultation process for the Organisational Review before the end of Term Four. 2009 MeetingsDistrict Council Chairs are keen for their national meeting for 2009 to be held as early as possible in Term One so they can be briefed on and have valuable discussions at national level about the latest information on the new government’s actions and plans.Members discussed and agreed that the 2009 District Council Branch planning meeting should be held in Gisborne if a travel equalisation scheme can be worked out. Members felt that as it is expected that Annual Meeting will make wide-ranging decisions on the shape of the union membership structures, it will be critical to meet, discuss and plan how to engage members and work through the changes with them for the 2010 year. Carol Parker Regional Secretary |
